Loyalty
by Orangebunny13
Summary: He would do anything for the people he cares for, even as far as sacrificing his own life. But is it enough?


**Disclaimer:** As if.

* * *

This will be a two-shot or three-shot. Either the two. This will be inside the same verse from my other story,** 'Its a Secret!'** _*promotes shamelessly* _

Just in case you havent read **'I.S'**, Giotto's gender-bent here and no he's not hopelessly in love that you will puke your guts inside out. She- he is still Giotto but with female mammary glands and still badass as she- he can get.

This is for my senps Katokimeka-chan (*touches your face* I can't write yaoi my dear fudgenugget, deal with it) it was for her b-day months ago, but school held me up.

You better enjoy this my reader-sama's.

* * *

Running her hands through her hair, thoughts ran through her mind.

It started when she noticed G distant towards her. Not that she liked the peace and quiet and she wouldn't be deaf by the age of 30, but it was just _not right. _Lampo didn't even want to eat the candy she gave him, he would just pocket it offer a small smile that didn't reach his eyes and then mumble a small thanks.

As so did Knuckle, he didn't even bother her when she doesn't attend mass during Sunday, due to her work. He would usually persuade her and then give this huge lecture that would take hours to finish.

Just to make things better Asari doesn't even pay attention to her, even if she unintentionally broke one of his flutes, he just shrugged and said it was 'okay.' Asari never said it was fine before (she has broken one of his flutes at one point, she had never seen him so angry) even if she were his boss.

Alaude was the same as usual, but he was more absent than he ever was.

Daemon was still Daemon but his cold demeanour troubled her. When she approaches him, he would always remark something vaguely offending and disappear to who knows where.

She clenched the pen so hard it broke into two, spraying ink on her clothes.

She slumped and cursed herself for being so ignorant at her Guardians and herself. Letting out a big sigh, she stood up and straightened her ruffled clothes making her appearance more tolerable. Stretching her arms and legs sitting there all day was giving her cramps.

If she was honest with herself she was a complete wreck.

The stress was making her work hours even harder to bear, her Guardians still had their destructive streak in them even if they didn't talk to her plus, she hasn't eaten since yesterday.

Walking at a slow pace she clutched her stomach in hunger and groaned. Disregarding the stain in her clothes she headed for the pantry instead, as the ink turned into the colour of dried blood.

* * *

Opening the huge double doors, she got greeted by the smiles and the cheery atmosphere. Maids scurried about cleaning the place, while the chefs started picking out the food they are going to cook for dinner.

Her mood immediately lightened.

"Primo!" a brunette man in his late 50's greeted happily, he was the chef head of the house and one of Giotto's closest friends. "If you were going to eat why didn't you call us? We would've made it already!"

"It's fine Dante I just came here just to have a quick snack and please, call me Giotto. How many times do I have to remind you?" she replied but her stomach said otherwise. It grumbled loudly and her face flushed red.

The occupants of the room chuckled.

Dante huffed and gave her a knowing look "A quick snack eh? Sit down and wait here Signor Giotto" he said after hurrying off somewhere.

She then began eating the apple that she found at the table where she sat, her eyes wandering from face to face. She saw other women looking at her blushing and whispering something she can't understand. They all nodded agreeing, the others catching her gaze began shushing them and went about their duties. Memorizing their faces she made a mental note of knowing their names later.

Standing up she went for the windows, while taking another bite from her apple.

Staring at the blue open sky stretching above, she felt content. Beautiful landscape filled with flowers with colours that you never thought existed; her heart felt light and the burden in her shoulders lifted.

Then G came running into the room.

Literally barging in, out of breath he looked as if he just ran a marathon. Everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at G's presence.

"I-" he took another deep breath, he was practically wheezing " where's Giotto?"

A maid holding a broom pointed in her direction that was now half-way on taking a chomp on her apple.

His head turned to her where she was and his eyes showed a turmoil of emotions, which mostly showed impatience, disappointment, and anger.

She flinched.

"G? What are you doing here?" she said her voice raspy, her apple suddenly tasteless and bitter.

"Where the hell have you been?!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

Noticing that there were people can't continue their work with a shouting G at their throats, she put down the apple in the window sill and proceeded to push him out. While ignoring his blatant comments.

'_Why would he care now?' _She pondered. _'Did something happen?'_

"Are you even listening to me?!" G shouted.

"Yes, no- I mean of course I am" she said apologetically scratching her head.

"You weren't" G pinching the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply.

"So what were you saying?" she said shrugging casually.

"Just forget it" he gritted out then walked away.

'_And just like that' _she thought bitterly.

Gathering up her courage praying that he wouldn't snap at her she jogged after G, patting his shoulder his head turned to meet her face. "What?" he asked irritably.

"Well I wondering…" she said trailing off and mumbling some incoherent sentences.

"Look Giotto just _don't._" he declared then stomped away.

'_Well that was harsh'_ she thought sarcastically, but her face feigned a hurt expression as her mood dampened even more. '_I'll just…ask somebody else what went wrong_…' she thought, insecurity brandishing her features._ 'Just please not-_

"Signor Giotto! You're food his ready!" Dante's hearty voice echoed through the halls, breaking her thoughts.

"Might as well enjoy my food" she said in a small voice, heading for the kitchen she shuddered involuntarily making her jerk to stop and look around. She found nothing, frowning she shrugged it off.

Unbeknownst to her Daemon was watching their little chat tight-lipped and then disappeared into mist flames.

* * *

She bit her nail as she went over the papers, she was hoping that it won't come to this but it has. Jerking from her chair she went around the room murmuring to no one in particular and going into circles, stopping from time to time to stare blankly at space. She looked at the paper again, to make sure that she was dreaming but she wasn't.

Pulling the paper from her messy desk she tucked it in her pocket and went off elsewhere. Her eyes cloudy and her mind in conflict.

* * *

Lampo sat by his room idling as he drew on his sketch book, his skills are average and he preferred drawing landscapes than anything else. As the youngest Guardian of the house he learned to entertain himself with various activities, sketching for an instance. It was one of his favourite past times, it made him feel as if he was in his own space and inside the landscape he was drawing, plus it's one of the best ways to kill time.

But today he didn't feel like doing it at all.

If he did, his drawings would turn bad and he'd immediately rip it off and crumple it into a ball, then throw it away after. He drew almost every day and he liked this particular drawing in his sketch book, it was his big brother-

Giotto.

It was one of his best works, in his opinion since he wasn't good at the anatomy of the human body. Though he noticed that his figure was a bit to slender for a man, but he disregarded the thought as immediately as he supposed of it.

The man who openly accepted him, his eyes casting no doubt when he stood up to his wretched father was the best moment in his life. The day he got welcomed in their home with a bright smile and open arms was something he would've only happened in his dreams, it was simply amazing. No words can describe how he felt that day, nor can any define it. At first he'd always thought it was a dream and dreams would end sooner or later, but the first morning he woke up in his own room in the mansion enough to tell it wasn't.

He would stare dazedly in the first few mornings and he would be polite (-ish) to others, but he soon got accustomed in living there and the walls he had set in his heart were breaking away piece by piece. He finally felt what it was to have a family, to know what '_be loved'_ meant.

His old home (if you could call it that) was cold and treated like a doll by his step-mother and a bag of trash by his father. The walls felt cold in his house, the maids looked at him disgustedly and went away their faced etched with distaste. He would hear murmurs of gossip every time he passed by one of them, but it made no sense to him for they always left when they saw his presence.

He tried his best to be someone else for a change. To be praised, be recognized, and be accepted. So he studied hard, he tried to impress his governor*, played the violin late at night he even made a card to his father saying how he loved him. He didn't get a reply back.

He strained himself to the point where he realized, it wasn't working.

He tried other methods, one being arrogant; it certainly did get him more attention, so he decided to continue. He treated everyone like servants, he boasted about the smallest of things and such the like, and therefore hated even more. Nevertheless he disregarded their comments about him being spoiled a bit too much, he wanted attention and he got what he desired. He brought the attitude with him when he grew up, that he can't control himself to the point it became a part of him.

Everything was the same as usual until that fateful day.

He was always curious about his father's work, since he never told it to him and he wasn't even allowed to go near a twenty meter radius at the west side of his mansion which was his father's work place. So that night when it rained, he put his plan to action lighting a candle he tip-toed at the dark hallways. He scared as hell, was mentally pissing himself but he hardened his courage and quietly headed towards his father's office.

He lightly turned his father's door knob and it opened with a light creak. Surveying the interior he entered cautiously, nervously looking around. The rain softly, almost comfortingly patting the roof lessened his tense nerves.

Going over the oak desk he studied the intricate patterns drawing in the sides, before going to his bureau cabinet. He found a thick black leather book with a rubber strap that kept the book closed tightly. Setting his candle on the desk, he began flipping the pages. Realizing it was his father's journal he was about to close it, respecting his privacy.

His father may be a complete asshole to him, but he was still his father.

Until he saw _it_.

He read it over and over his hands shaking in disbelief and his eyes dampening with emotions. He closed the journal; he had read enough, putting it back where it came from. He took his only source of illumination going back to his room. He didn't even care if he was found out, nothing ever mattered anymore. He denied everything he read, it was a lie he thought over and over.

But it wasn't.

He shook his head removing him from his thoughts.

The past was the past and what matters is today. Standing up he walked over to his bed and opened the windows, gazing at the setting sun appreciating the soft beams of light as it casted on his room. The moment was perfect, until he spotted his big brother in a galloping horse headed towards the thick forest. He raised an eye brow at this, concern marring his features. But he felt a peculiar feeling at the bottom of stomach to just leave him alone, so he did.

Looking back to his small study he looked at the violet covered candy sitting there quietly; it was given to him the day before by no other than Giotto. But he didn't have the appetite to eat it, which never happened before in his life. He didn't know why, he just_ didn't_.

Sauntering over it, he took it familiarizing himself with its texture and shape. Odd, he would usually eat this, it was his favourite after all, popping it into his mouth he tasted it. Funny, it lacked the usual appealing taste it had.

'_Weird'_ he supposed. Savouring it again, he still felt nothing_. 'Is this past its due date? But it doesn't taste like it.'_

Sucking on his candy he went out and was about to go follow Giotto but something inside him told not to. Feeling as if it the oddity was too much for him, he headed to Knuckle's room and was about to consult him until Alaude's figure appeared before his eyes, making him halt to a stop.

He always had this vibe from the man that he's being scrutinized with every movement he made, so he tried his best to not come in contact with him until needed.

"Where is he?" Alaude asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Who?" Lampo gulped in nervousness, still not used to his presence.

"Giotto" Alaude said bluntly.

"Ah, um- he was heading towards the forest the last time I saw him" he replied, unsure where this was leading.

"Tch." He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Inform me when he comes back."

With that Alaude left his trench coat swishing in the small breeze.

'_Whats wrong with him?' _he thought. Letting it go he went back to his original goal.

* * *

Giotto tightened her jaw as she got off the horse's saddle and tied it to a nearby tree. To think that it would all come to this, she knew this was inevitable but this was too soon.

"Giotto" Talbot greeted, his voice hoarse with age.

"Talbot" she said mutually.

"What brings you here?" his mouth twitching to a smile. "Came to visit me?"

"I think you know perfectly why I'm here Talbot" she gritted out.

"So you got my letter, eh?" he said easily, as if what was happening was no big deal. "You know-

Doing a very un-Giotto like thing to do, she took the old man by the collar and almost proceeded to punch him. But stopped mid-way her mind finally registering to what she was about to do. Letting go of his collar, she hesitantly stepped back wordlessly.

Talbot smiled knowingly, shaking his head thoughtfully."Im sorry child, but I can't do anything to help you."

"Damn it Talbot!" she shouted in anger. "You were the one who-"

"I only tampered with it but it has a mind of its own, I simply can't change it to my wishes" he said. "Believe me, if I did already would have."

"What about my guardians? I can't just leave them!" she argued.

"The moment they have turned their backs on you, the test would have already began" Talbot supplied. "If they sever all ties with you that means you are unworthy of them."

'_I think I already am' _she thought bitterly. She bowed her head and clenched her hands in defeat. For her to just accept defeat like this was frustrating, turning her back against him, she calmly towards her steed she quickly untethered him, climbed her way up and bolted away leaving the old man a smile gracing his lips.

'_Things are about to get interesting.' _He thought and held his head. He may not see the future, but he knew what was about to happen.

* * *

G, Knuckle and Lampo ran manoeuvring at the dizzying mansion with such ease, as adrenaline pumped their blood. They were fools to not to remember this before and to think they his Guardians.

Finally achieving their destination they immediately opened the door to find nothing, but the usual furniture and a clean desk with some papers aside. Their worst fears now coming to life and a surge of panic came to them. The air felt too cold for their comfort and the last rays of the sun was now long had gone, their blood pounding in their ears was nothing compared to the deafening silence of the room.

The maids unaware continued lighting the candles the flames dancing vividly on their tired faces bringing little comfort. The hall and office now lighted with eerie silence as they left, looking at the three weirdly.

Still stunned G briskly walked forward and saw a glint of light and he followed it in the coffee table just at his left.

It was his sky ring.

His eyes widened, quickly took it to check it, Lampo ushering to his side took the small folded note in the table. Opening it carefully, he read the small note that was definitely wrote by Giotto. Bile rose up in his throat as he read the letter, which was slowly twisting his guts inside. Giotto and Knuckle felt the same, angry and ashamed at themselves.

Lampo disbelievingly read the letter over and over thinking that this was just some nightmare.

Heavy silence settled upon them, guilt killing them.

"Nufufu~" Daemon strode into the room his mouth lopsided into a grin. Then his brows rose at the three, his smirk deteriorating fast as he approached them concern at the back of his eyes. "Oya, oya Whose funeral did you three just attend to?" he asked jokingly.

Nobody answered back.

Unease settled in his mind, "Did something happen?" he asked his confidence wavering.

Lampo faced him, bowing his head and eyes not showing as he tightly held the small note in his hand. "H-he's -" he replied stuttering, his shoulders shaking and his eyes welling up in tears. Unable to take it anymore he fell to the floor, landing on his knees and tear drops fell from his face. Tremors shaking his figure, he tried to wipe it with his free hand but the tears kept coming.

Panic surged Daemon's brain, he wasn't usually the comforting type but this felt different, kneeling he softly patted the teenagers back awkwardly. Lampo kept rambling on forming incoherent sentences, he could mostly catch small fragments but none made any sense to him.

The two grown men stood the quietly, watching the two still not moving. G opening his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Knuckle still not comprehending all_ this._

"Tell me what happened" Daemon asked slowly, still feeling funny to comfort the crying teenager. Lampo handed him the paper.

He took it still not knowing how this would be answer, straightening it he read the note. He looked at the note incredulously thinking that this was just…not possible.

As if on cue Alaude came in stomping, impatience in his features. "Where's Giotto?"

Greeted with defeated faces he dug his nails into his palms. He was too late; cursing himself in different languages he took the piece of paper from the floor. He read it, expecting the worst.

'_**I am sorry.'**_

* * *

*** A governer is a tutor in their time.**

* * *

**A/N:** Cliff-hanger motherfuckers *evil laugh*


End file.
